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Book No. – 002 (Political Science)
Book Name – Political Theory (Rajeev Bhargava)
What’s Inside the Chapter? (After Subscription)
1. INTRODUCTION
2. HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE IDEA OF CIVIL SOCIETY
3. CIVIL SOCIETY IN EARLY LIBERAL POLITICAL THEORY
3.1. John Locke’s Concept of Civil Society,
4. RISE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT CONCEPT OF CIVIL SOCIETY
5. CRITIQUES OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT CONCEPT OF CIVIL SOCIETY
5.1. Hegel’s Concept of Civil Society
5.2. Civil Society in the Marxist Tradition: Karl Marx and Antonio Gramsci
6. CONTEMPORARY REVIVAL OF THE CONCEPT OF CIVIL SOCIETY
7. CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE POST-COLONIAL CONTEXT
8. MODERNITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN POST-COLONIAL STATES: CRITICAL ISSUES
9. CONCLUSION
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LANGUAGE
Civil Society
Chapter – 12
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
- The term ‘civil society’ is commonly encountered in media reports and public meetings, such as when civil society organizations address issues like homelessness or advocate for new constitutional rights.
- Canada has over a million civil society organizations, and India has around two million such organizations (Mitra 2001).
- This raises questions about the meaning and function of civil society, as well as the organizations that fall under this label.
- The meaning of civil society has evolved over time, and there is no consensus among contemporary users about its exact definition.
- However, a common aspect of civil society is that social life is differentiated into various spheres, and civil society is one among them, distinct from other spheres like family, economy, and politics.
- Civil society refers to a specific aspect of social life, while society refers to a broader concept that includes all social structures and influences.
- Society, according to Louis Dumont, is an all-encompassing organization into which individuals are born and to which they involuntarily belong.
- Civil society, in contrast, is a collective entity that emerges from society and exists for specific and limited purposes.
- The purpose, limits, and scope of civil society vary depending on different conceptions, but there are common attributes:
- Civil society is separate and independent from the state.
- Civil society consists of voluntary associations. Involuntary groups like family and caste are generally not considered part of civil society (Bhargava 2005: 14).
- The concept of civil society originated in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, linked to the rise of economic and political liberalism.
- John Locke and thinkers from the Scottish Enlightenment (e.g., David Hume, Adam Smith, and Adam Ferguson) contributed to early conceptions of civil society.
- In the 19th century, the concept was further elaborated by Georg Hegel and Karl Marx, although with different interpretations.
- After a period of disuse, civil society re-emerged in theoretical and practical discussions towards the end of the Cold War.
- The concept gained immense popularity in both East Europe and the West after the Cold War, as it was seen as an important part of Western democratic theory.
- The revival of civil society in East Europe was linked to the region’s shift toward democratic and liberal ideas.
- The history of the concept shows that the meaning of civil society has changed over time and has had multiple interpretations in Western political theory.
HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE IDEA OF CIVIL SOCIETY
- The concept of civil society emerged with the modern age in Western Europe.
- The core idea of civil society is the differentiation of social life, meaning that different institutions perform distinct functions according to the principle of functional specialization.
- Modern societies are more differentiated than earlier societies, leading to a clearer separation of spheres such as family, economy, civil society, and the state.
- Pre-modern societies were less differentiated, where a single institution or a few institutions performed many functions necessary for social existence.
- In tribal societies, kinship performed various social, cultural, political, and economic functions.
- During the Middle Ages, feudal bonds took on many of these roles.
- In India, caste performed multiple social, political, and economic functions, and continues to do so in many regions.
- In many societies, monarchs performed various functions related to the economic, cultural, and political aspects of life.
- Some societies were so integrated that their members couldn’t imagine standing in opposition to the patriarch, matriarch, or head of the society.
- The idea of differentiation of spheres and civil society is tied to the development of modern Western political theory.